St. Paul daily globe., 1887-08-22
GRADING sTRYKER AVENUE.
"Taxpayer" Has Word to Say
on This Proposed Improve

To the Editor of the Globe
The board of public works in and for
the corporation of the city of st. Paul,
Minn., will meet at their Office in said
city at 2 p. m. on the 18th day of August,
A. ID. 1887, to make an assessment of
benefits, costs and expenses arising
from grading Stryker avenue, from
Louisa street to the south city limits, in
said city, on the property on the line of
said Stryker avenue. from Prospect ter
race to the south city limits, and deemed
benefited thereby, amounting in the ag-
gregate to S23, ,S7S. All persons inter-
eSted are hereby notified to be present
at said time and place of making said
assessment. and will be heard.
The meeting was we'll attended, but to
all objections made and arguments set
forth to prove that the further grading
of the street was of no benefit to prop
erty owners or property north OF Louisa
street, they had but one stereotyped
answer, you've got what you've asked
for, haven't yOu?" When asked why
they sent for us. if they had decided
before hand what they intended to do,
they stated that they had not so de
cided; but almost in the same breath
they declared they had considered
all the objections put forth long before.
They were also asked TO defer their
vote in the matter one week, and they
would be furnished proof that the ma
jority of actual property owners on the
street betwenL0uiSa street and the limits
did not wish it. But that was refused.
The following are the actual facts i'll
regard to the matter: Something over
a year ago the property owners residing
on Stryker avenue, between Prospect
terrace and Louisa street, asked to have
their street graded as far as they felt it
would be of benefit to them, namely,
from the terrace to Louisa street. They
were informed that their petition could
not be entertained, as it was not con-
sidered just to the people residing be-
tween Louisa street and the limits, as
the expense for grading that portion
would naturally be very heavy.
Rather than not have the street
graded they decided to bear portion
of the burden for grading what they
knew then, and know now, would not
benefit their property in the
least Consequently they drew up
another petition, asking that the
grading be done from the terrace
to the city limits, which was signed by
the majority of owners from the terrace
to the limits. The petition was granted
by the council, confirmed by the board
of public works and the cost of the
work published in the papers. When
the people between Louisa street and
the limits found how heavy the expense
would be, even with assistance, they
ROSE IN A BODY
and protested SO vigorously, saying that
their property would be damaged; it
NIL
have to sell out and move away; they
and that If the people north of Louisa
street wanted their street done let them
go ahead. they wanted nothing to do
with it, etc, that it was decided not to
grade that portion of the street. At the
time they were informed that when they
did want it done it would come much
higher. as if the people north of Louisa
street had their part done they could not
be reaSSeSSed. They answered they did
not expect it; when they got ready to
have it done they would be better able
to stand it. The people north of Louisa
street were then informed they could
have their street graded as at first petit
toned for, which has been done and paid
for.
A few months ago few persons, not
all residents of or property owners on
the street south of Louisa street, in
duced the board to order the grading of
that part of the street. Assessment
notices were sent out last June
to all property owners on the
street, from Louisa street to the city
limits: and work has been progressing
for some weeks. Yet by some strange
freak, to be accounted for in due time,
that assessment was annulled and new
one ordered, with injustice to those
who have already paid their grading as
ment, and probably to the majority of
with the exception, perhaps, of those
who received heavy damages.
The property owners between the
Terrace and Louisa street believe that
if it was right to reaSSeSS them, it was
no more than right that they should
have received notices with the others
last June, and what is not only right,
but just, the privilege of having their
say in regard to allotting heavy dam
ages.
They would like to know, also, if the
assessment levied on the people south
of Louisa street last June was just and
proper at that time, what induced them
to change it at this late day.
The main reason why it is of no bene
fit to the people north of Louisa street
is. that at Louisa street Stryker avenue
forms junction with Dakota avenue,
the only way which travellers may reach
the city from that part of the country.
Nearly everyone knows that at the Ter
race it is 100 feet perpendicularly to the
fiat. TAXPAYER.